Business, Marketing, and New Technology
Business
Data Backup Service to check out
May 10th
Recently the hard drive on my laptop decided to give up the ghost. Right in the middle of something interesting, I get a warning notice of imminent failure. Sure enough, it was gone, with no chance to offload any data at all. Fortunately for me, there was little that I did not have backed up elsewhere, and the laptop was still under warranty, so I was able to send it off to the company and have a new one installed gratis.
But the experience did remind me of the value, no, the critical importance of backing up all your data. Had this been my business computer, (and if I had no backup for it) it would have been an unmitigated disaster. My whole business would have been put at risk.
However, with the proper forethought and preparation, needing to recover any application and its data doesn’t have to be tragic. May I suggest that if you have a business, and you need to look into backup services, check out Nexsan’s Disk Backup service. They are experts in backup and recovery storage solutions, and they provide ultra-reliable data protection. They have flexible options for storing / archiving your data, backing up cloud data, or just about any sort of digital media that you use.
The best part is that they have a fully managed backup service. You don’t have to spend time managing it. You can have backups going 24/7; just set it up, and let it take care of itself. It allows you to grow, without having to rip out the old system. And their service is top-notch. Such quality is rare, so if you have not totally protected your data, check them out.
(Now, not later. You’ll be glad you did.)
“To the Cloud!”
May 3rd
“To the Cloud!”
We’ve all heard it. It sounds like a near miracle. You can access information, videos, movies, data, everything, “from the cloud”. Cloud computing is one of the best inventions to date.
Businesses are actively looking into cloud computing, and virtualization. There are so very many benefits from cloud computing. It reduces IT costs, and increases flexibility in the workplace. It also allows for scalability from small to the very large.
However, one main concern for all businesses is security. After all, if your information is “out there” somewhere, how do you know that it is safe? How on earth could it be possible to secure the cloud? What kind of cloud to you need or want- public? Or private? How can you even decide what kind of security you need, or what concerns you need to address? What sort of advantages could there be for cloud-based security?
And if you do have stolen data, who is responsible? What about being EC2PCI compliant? Whoa, lots of questions about cloud security.
One place to begin finding answers is on Trend Cloud Security Blog. There, you will find posts and comments about an extensive variety of topics. You can get answers to questions about the cloud, what it is, how you can use it, etc. There are posts on upcoming events, like the Cloud Security Symposium that just happened on April 26th.
Often there are really useful resources, like the Replay of the Privacy and Security Panel from Cloud Computing Conference at NAB 2012 . The audio of the entire panel discussion is there for you to gleen information from. There is information there about HIPAA issues, or even problems with data loss and Mobile Apps. You can even find info on where to store your cloud encryption keys.
One thing Trend Micro knows about is cloud security, so by going to Trend Micro Cloud Security Blog, you can get all the information that you need to make intelligent decisions about your business virtualization.
Marketing Tricks
Mar 5th
Guest post of the week by Val Flores
Have you ever noticed the little tricks they use to try to get you to buy things? There are so many marketing tricks that prey on our subconscious desires and convince us to buy things we don’t really need. It’s really interesting, if you ask me. I’d love to go into marketing because I’m real interested in psychology and persuasion in general. You’d be surprised to learn the simple little word choices and color choices made, and how they affect us. For example, the words “part of a healthy breakfast.” What they don’t tell you is that healthy breakfast would be healthy enough with or without the poptart they are trying to sell you. Also, every notice the words, “hurry!” and “act now!” Like at expertsatellite, they act like the clock is ticking and there is only a few seconds left to get the deal, pushing you into an impulse buy. Or how about, “tastes like real…” It can trick your mind into thinking they said the product actually contains real fruit, or whatever.
Are You Looking For a Virtual Private Server?
Feb 28th
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FK VPS for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Does your business need its own private server? Do you have a complex system that needs to have separate divisions run their own operating system independently from the others? Sometimes it is necessary to have these systems have the ability to reboot independently (as many times as needed) and to run their own software.
With a VPS, or Virtual Private Server, you can separate these various parts of your business, by dividing a physical server into multiple virtual servers, each of which is very powerful on its own. The business will have access to the root level of admin, and will be able to install any software needed.
One of the great things about this setup is being able to combine the self-service functionality, with the ability to rapidly scale up. As your business changes, and the dynamics of the web change, your business stays agile, and flexible, able to adapt and adjust as quickly as the tech world demands.
Along with being able to establish and configure any software that you need, the VPS can host a large number of websites. It also has the possibility to host additional web sites, including mail servers, FTP servers, or just about any other website that you might need. You can freely use the VPS server to back up all your websites, or to store any type of files.
FK VPS is a company of FK TECH SRL, with experienced programmers and administrators. They serve not only individuals, but small and medium businesses. Their plans are adjustable, and reasonable, and allow the user to handle all their own administrative tasks, but in the event that help is needed, they are responsive, and available 24/7. Since they own all their own equipment, they have physical access to all of the hardware, and can resolve problems quickly.
Right now, they are offering a 50% lifetime discount on their services, so if you are thinking about getting a virtual private server, now would be the time to check them out.
Software for Filling out Insurance Forms
Feb 15th
Ever needed a doctor? Ever wonder why it costs so much? OK, well, I don’t have the answer to that one, but I used to work in a doctor’s office and I know that keeping the office running is a complicated thing. Between appointment assigning, and lab-work taking, and lab-work itself, the doctor’s visits, and transcribing his notes, and getting all the payment from and to the correct place – it is one complicated machine.
One of the most complicated aspects of the office is dealing with insurance. There are hundreds of insurance companies, all with their different rules, not to mention More >
Find Your Strategy
Feb 15th
Recently I ran across this quote, and it seems so powerful, that I’d like to share it with you.
“For any outcome that you want, there is certain way of thinking and acting that will get it for you. You have to find that way of thinking and acting, and adopt it.”
-Bill Harris
Worst Office Ever Contest
Jan 24th
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Contest Factory for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Is your office horrible? Out of date? Old technology? Too small? Too crowded? Impossible?
Well, here’s your chance for a do-over! There’s a contest going on for the worst office ever.
It’s called the Pimp My Cube Contest and is being done by the Contest Factory. All you have to do is upload a video of your cube or office space and talk about all the reasons why it is so horrible. Let them know why it is important that you need your work space redone.
Once you get your video up, send the link to your friends and family so they can vote for it. You’ll get sweepstakes points in 4 ways- for registering, for voting, for commenting, and for inviting others to register for the contest. If the judges (and other voters) decide you have the best (or worst) video and compelling reasons to change it, you could win a total office makeover!
You could win the grand prize with a value of $1200! They will come and upgrade your office with one of these choices:
o New high end computer system
o New Desk, Chair and Decorations
o New Entertainment Package with high end stereo, espresso machine etc.
There is a second prize that will be chosen at random for $200. Not bad for just making a video of your crappy office space. Make sure to be witty and funny and crazy in your video, cause people love that; the wackier the better! But you’d better do it soon, as the contest period is almost over. It closes on January 31.
Just visit the Pimp My Cube site, register for the contest, and upload your videos to enter. And then, after the video is approved, be sure to have all your friends and family support you by voting for it. Put it on Facebook, and in your blog. Tell the world. It just might be worth a new office makeover for you!
Do you have the Worst Office Ever?
Dec 23rd
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Contest Factory for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Here’s your chance to improve! Make a video of your office, with all the mess, the chaos, the outdated equipment, etc., and post it to the PMC site, for a chance for a Do-Over!
Just explain why your office is horrible, with noise, and dirt, and darkness, or whatever your particular problems are, and why the Contest Factory needs to come and “Pimp Your Cube”. Tell all your friends, coworkers, and family to go see your video and vote for it, and leave comments. You get sweepstake points for registering, for their votes and their comments, and for inviting others to upload their own videos. (not to mention, how horrible your space is…)
You could get your whole place “pimped” with a grand prize of $1200 to get new equipment, or new furniture, or even a high end stereo and/or espresso machine. It’s easy to upload your video to the site from your computer, your phone, or your webcam. And, there is a second prize of a $200 gift card to be chosen randomly.
Go check this out. Visit the site, Pimp My Cube Contest , register, and upload your videos to enter the contest. Then have all your friends vote on it. You just may win, because so far, there are very few videos in the running.
· The contest period is from 12/5/11 at 12:00PM to 1/31/12 at 12:00PM.
LG DoublePlay is Pretty Awesome
Dec 16th
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG DoublePlay™ for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
We all like our tech toys. I know I do. We were talking the other day about the movie “Back to the Future” where the comment was made that he had 3 televisions in his house, and the mother said, “Oh, he’s just kidding, no one has 3 televisions. Then we went on to talk about computers. I realized that I had no less than 7 computers, all functional, in my house. I carry two with me at all times, the laptop, and my phone, which does just about everything that the laptop does.
Isn’t that amazing? How far have we come in the last 50 years? My lifestyle has changed so, I can’t imagine being able to function without having one of those techy devices right by my side. I send dozens of texts a day, and the younger generation sends hundreds. Once, I had one of my kids texting the other one from the front seat of the car to the back seat of the car!
So, the devices we use to run our worlds is changing every day. I’ve discovered a new “toy” that can “slice and dice, and just about cook dinner for you”. It’s the new LG Double Play. It has dual customizable touch screens- one is a 3.5-inch main display and there is a 2.0-inch sub display ¾ that operate independently or in tandem, as well as a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Wow. Two screens. Who would have thought? But I can see how extremely useful that is going to be already. I spend at least a half hour on my phone using social networks, and this would really be handy to be able to research and send at the same time. The querty keyboard is a help too. Don’t you think that this ability would change the way you network? How much time do you spend doing that right now, anyway? Any way we can save time is a good thing.
This android based device is only available from T-Mobile, and it’s pretty amazing. I bet it’s more amazing than the phone you have now. Leave me a comment and tell me what you might do differently in your social networking if you had the LG DoublePlay™ .
27 Viruses At One Time
Dec 9th
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Recently, I had an issue with my computer, and and I took it to my friendly neighborhood computer troubleshooter for some work. It’s always a bear to disconnect everything, and haul it over, even though the shop is nearby. The real issue is being without my computer for any length of time. Seems like the world stops revolving when my computer is out of commission. Then, when I get it back, I have to wade through hundreds of emails… what a pain.
At any rate, Emily found 27 viruses- count ‘em- 27! and cleaned them out of my machine. Thank God no permanent damage was done, but I can tell you, right then I began a search for better protection. I came across some information about Norton that I’d like to share with you.
Right now Norton has a 30% discount for small business owners that get certain products- primarily the 5U/10 products). So that’s a good thing right up front. For more info on this, go to get 30% off Norton Small Business Products now
My business is not very large, but it still could be crippled by random malware, and any small business runs the same risk. Without having some kind of virus and malware protection, you’re playing a dangerous game. Thinking that you have the one computer that will not fall victim is probably a little over optimistic. Everyone needs the kind of protection that Norton can give us.
Norton has a couple of services that they have just launched this past September, the Norton 360, and the Norton Internet Security 2012 . You can get more details here: Norton Small Business by Symantec
It would have been very handy for me to have had these services before my entire business crashed, due to those nasty viruses. I encourage you to check out these up-to-date services for protecting your computer, and your livelihood, before you have serious issues yourself.
You can leave a comment here if you wish and let me know which Norton product you might make the best use of, and how it’s going to benefit your business. Any and all thoughts are always welcome.
